In technical or basically industrial applications, there is the need to arrange electric, electronic or other members in a housing device (in the following simply referred to as a “housing”), so that the members and components arranged in the housing are protected against external influences, on the one hand, and on the other hand to allow the installation of the members and components in the housing and to arrange them together with the housing as an independently producible module in another machine or any other facility. Here, the module which may be prefabricated for the further application can be installed in one piece at the place of use, so that the manufacture as well as the assembly of the module at the place of use are simplified, so that costs can be kept low.
If electric or electronic members and any other components are arranged in a housing of this type, for example, it is essential that the housing is mechanically stable on the one hand and sealed off perfectly on the other hand, so that—in case of harsh environmental conditions such as in an industrial machine or in a motor vehicle—no dirt can reach the interior of the housing, as otherwise there is the risk that members are damaged or the entire function is impaired. To this end, housings are realized in a known manner in a multi-part design, wherein elastic seals are generally provided between the several parts of the housing. The effect of the sealing depends on the fact that the housing parts lie on top of each other in a proper manner and are pressed against each other with a predetermined pressure, so that the elastic seal is able to fulfill its function by making contact with the respective housing parts.
To this end, flange connections are used together with corresponding screws, the latter allowing to adjust a proper compression of the seals, resulting in a reliable sealing of the housing.
Further, there is the possibility to provide latching or clip connections in which the housing parts are assembled to form an overall housing. By exerting a slight pressure during assembling, the individual elements of the latching connection can latch in place and hence reliably connect the housing, on the one hand, and produce a predetermined pressure on the other hand, so that the sealing is ensured.
FIG. 4 shows a known arrangement in which an overall housing G consists of an upper element G1 and a lower element G2. The upper element G1 and the lower element G2 are inserted into each other for forming the overall housing G, and both housing parts G1 and G2 comprise mutually corresponding latching elements. Especially the lower housing element G2 comprises lugs L latching in place on latching protrusions R of the upper housing element G1 and hence establishing a form-fit connection.
During making the connection, i.e. during assembling the upper housing element G1 and the lower housing element G2 for forming the overall housing G, the two housing elements have to be put together with a predetermined force, so that the desired latching connection can be achieved. In doing so, a seal not shown in the Figures but arranged therebetween is compressed in excess. FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the overall housing G in the mounted state, whereas FIG. 5 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 4 in the mounted (assembled) state in connection with a sectional illustration along sectional line A-A according to FIG. 4. The latching protrusion V of the latching connection R is latched in place, so that the upper part of the lug L of the lower housing element G2 is connected to the latching protrusion V of the upper housing element G1 in a form-fitting manner. Here, it is required to consider the more complex construction of the individual elements for establishing the latching connection, and a defined force for assembling the two housing elements G1 and G2 (i.e. during assembly) is also required.
In this context, document FR 2 941 129 shows a part of a housing in which a lid element comprises lugs which are intended for being joined with a further part of the housing and comprise a latching opening, so that, having assembled the lid element and the further housing part, corresponding latching protrusions of the further housing part can latch in place in the openings of the lid element. In this way, the latching connection guarantees a firm fit between the lid element and the further housing part. The housing may serve for accommodating members, functional elements or circuits in the automotive sector.
It is required here to press the lid element and the at least one further housing part against each other during assembly, so that in connection with the elasticity of the housing parts and of an intermediate elastic seal the respective latching elements are able to latch in place. After a relaxation or release of the mounted elements, there will be a firm fit of the housing parts on top of each other in connection with the elasticity of the housing parts, the elasticity of the seal and the retaining effect provided by the latching elements.
In the known arrangements mentioned above, a respective housing comprising corresponding housing parts is implemented in a multi-part design and manufactured by corresponding molding processes (generally in connection with a plastic injection molding process) or in any other way. In each case, a more complex assembly procedure is required, and elastic or resilient materials for producing the housing parts are required, too.
Therefore, the present invention is based on the object to form a lid element of the type initially mentioned as well as a housing device in such a manner that at least one housing part for forming the housing device can be effectively and permanently assembled with simple measures by means of the lid element and the lid element can also be produced in a simple and cost-effective fashion.